1 JSTRACTS FROM 

EDITORIALS 



I>J THE NEWSPAPERS OF 
T H K C () I. I' M B I A 
RIVER BASIN 
Indicating tliat the construction 
of the Dalles-Celilo Canal is 
Paramount in Importance to 
the Deepening of tlie Channel 
for Ocean Vessels from Portland 
to the Sea. — 



* 



Issued by 

LEWISTON COMMERCIAL CLUB 

Lewiston, Idaho. 



PREFACE 




The publication of tlie recconiiuemlalion of the Engineers of substan- 
tially One Million Dollars apppropriation for the Columbia river, only 
Ten Thousand of which would be applicable to the Columbia river above 
the Cascades, called from the Post-Intelligencer a prompt and treachant 
editorial abstracted at page 9 hereof, which in turn called forth 
from the entire press o of the Columbia river basin a discussion and en- 
dorsement which evidences a most wonderfully aroused and unanimous 
sentiment that the construction of The Dalles-Celilo canal is primary 
in importance to all other improvements of the Columbia river, and more 
especially to the deepening of the channel from Portland to the sea. 

The annexed abstract has been j)repared for the purpose of showing 
finally the wishes of the people and with the belief that those wishes, 
thus exi)ressed, will be obeyed. 

Unfortunately, Portland, standing almost alone, has a divided in- 
terest in this controversy, and considers the deepening of the channel 
from Portland to the sea as paramount. 

The Portland Chamber of Commerce, recently, to stem tlie tide of 
public sentiment, authorized the circulation of a booklet, and through 
its president has sent an extensive letter to the press. These communica- 
tions have been critically analyzed in some of the accompanying abstracts. 
(See pages 5, 15). We have carefully read those communications and find 
that they show either a misunderstanding or a disregard of the point at 
issue, and to some extent discuss it as a matter of municipal rivalry. The 
vast producing population of this river basin, voiced by the accompany- 
ing extracts, are not interested in any municipal controversy, but solely 
in the development of the entire basin. 

These late communications from Portland miss the mark when they 
say, "papers lack true information on the subject, granting that they 
are entirely honest in their comment. Portland has not opposed, and docs 
not now oppose, the improvement of the upper Columbia." — Oregonian, 
November 25, 1901. 

The question which none of those communications toiuh is. does Port- 
land concede that The Dalles-Celilo canal is paramount in iiniiortanco tn 
the deepening of the channel from Portland to the sea? 

Of course, Portland is in favor of the imj^rovement of the upper 
Columbia and the upper Columbia is equally in favor of the deepening 
of the channel from Portland to the sea, but Portland is not in favor 
of subordinating the deepening of the channel to the improvement of the 
upper Columbia, or if she is, she has never said so, and the people of 
the Columbia river basin are not in favor of subordinating the improve- 
ment of the upper river to the deepening of the channel from Portland 
to the sea. 

Nor have these papers, abstracted in this document, lacked informa- 
tion when they have so stated, because Portland, at the conference with 
the Rivers and Harbors Committee of Congress at Lewiston. Idaho. July 
25, 1901. speaking through William M. Ladd, in the presence of repre- 
sentatives of the entire region, most candidly stated that Portland held 
tiie deepening of the channel from Portland to the sea to be i)aramount 
to the improvement of the upper river. We do not consider that in the 
late communications from Portland it has been intended to retract this 
position, though to the uninformed, and without analysis, the communi- 
cations would make that impression. If it had been intended to re- 
tract it. it certainlv would have been so stated. 



This being the question involved, we submit herewith the votes of the 
people of the Columbia river basin thereon. 

We respectfully submit that at least half oj the entire appropriation 
which shall be conceded for the Columbia river shall henceforth go to 
The Dalles-Celilo Canal until that project has been completed, and that 
in addition thereto the unexpc7ided balance of the sum amounting to 
about $220,000 heretofore appropriated for the Boat Railway at that 
point be transferred and made available for the Canal project. 

While we say transferred to the canal project, the fact is we believe 
that a portage railway will be necessary for use in constructing the canal 
and can be used for oarrjdng freight and passengers during the construc- 
tion of the canal, while in use, as an aid to its construction. (See report 
of Capt. Wni. W. Harts, dated June 22 and November 30, 1901. Doc. No. 
228, House of Representatives, 56th Congress, 2nd session.) 

The Oregonian of November 28th indicates that a transfer of this 
$220,000 from the boat railway to the canal pi'oject Avill be a sufficient 
accomplishment for the upper Cloumbia at this session of Congress. This 
sum, we respectfully submit, cannot be charged against the upper Colum- 
bia in the appropriations to be made at this session, for the reason that 
the same has already been appropriated for that portion of the river. We 
desire that the upper river should hold whatever it has receivd, and in 
addition get its half of the appropriation to be made at this time. We 
have read with great interest and satisfaction the action of the Portland 
Chamber of Commerce of December 3rd, but as in all other proceedings 
we do not find any retraction of the demand that the deepening of the 
channel from Portland to the sea shall be subordinated to The Dalles- 
Celilo improvement. It requires a very careful reading to avoid an erron- 
eous impression from some communications on this subject. 

Respectfully submitted, 

LEWISTON COMMERCIAL CLUB. 






ST ATI: or IDAHO 



ADA COUNTY 

BOISE CITY— Daily Statesman, November 13, 1901: "If the charge 
made against the city of Portland is correct, the people there should 
hasten to correct their mistake, for, if they are standing in the way of 
opening of the great river, they arc making as great a blunder as am- 
community could be guilty of. * * * * 

"It is possible that the city might suffer for a short time while the 
improvements are being made, but, after the Inland Empire had lieeu 
opened to water communication, the great flood of business that would 
pour down stream into Portland would make the improvement of the lower 
portion of the river so necessary that the demand could not be resisted. 

"With the people of Portland, as with those of living in the Inland 
Empire, the first object should be to secure the opening of the river, 
as everything else would come in due time. If money is to be ex]3ended 
on the Columbia, by all moans let the Portland people use their Ijest 
efforts to see that the great buUc of it goes toward opening tlie interior 
with a waterway." 

IDAHO COUNTY 

COTTONWOOD— Camas Prairie Chronicle, November 15, 1901: "Why 
take .$325,000 of the money appra])riated to clear the channels of the 
Columbia and sink it all in that river between Portland and Astoria? 
If that much money were expended to remove the obstructions in the 
upper river a waterway to the ocean would be established for the Inland 
Empire that would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in freight and 
handling charges to the farmers of that vast domain. * * * We don't 
blame such papers as the P. I. and the Spokesman-Review, nor any other 
paper in this entire section for ob.iecting to such actions." 

GRANGEVILLE— Standard, November 14, 1901: "The wcU-.xw o!" 
Portland, in her effort to become a great seaport, surely is l)ut second- 
ary to that of this whole vast inland country that needs cheaper trans- 
portation to the sea. The re-shipment of their produce miglit. or might 
not, be made from Portland: the i)rincipal object sliould be to make 
available the many hundred miles of upper river, rather than the last 
hundred miles from Portland to the sea. Light steamers could ply from 
eastern Washington clear to the coast. Let Portland become a deep- 
water port, if po.ssible; but it surely looks as if the peo]ile would be better 
served if the main carrying portion of the river were first favored by the 
government appropriations." 

KOOTENAI COUNTY 

COEI'R D'ALENE— Pre.><s. November 16, 1901: "The money which is 
wasted in a term of years in the endeavor to keep open a deej) water 
ciiannel to Portland, if expended on removing obstructions from the Col- 
umbia waterway to the interior, would have made that river navigable 
by river steamers from the ocean to the furtherest border of the state 
of Washington. The present expenditures on the lower Columbia are in 
the interests of one single city, or rather in the interests of the agents 
of foreign grain buyers and foreign ship owners who make that city their 
temiiorary headquarters." 

RATHDRX'M— The Silver Blade, November 10. 1901: "The opening? 
of the Columbia river is of interest not alone to Oregon and Washington. 



but must benefit Idaho as well. It would bring river transportation to 
the edge of the western line and materially benefit transportation in 
all that country around Lewiston. As shown by the Post-Intelligencer, 
the work which is habitually done on the river is done between Portland 
and the sea and benefits practically no one, except, perhaps, the city of 
Portland. * * * Especially would it have influence in enhancing 
the lumber and land of the white pine belt, which is tributary to the 
Columbia through the Snake and Clearwater rivers. Idaho representatives 
in Congress should stand shoulder to shoulder ■with the Washington and 
Oregon representatives in having more of the appropriation of the harbor 
and river bill for use in clearing the upper Columbia of obstructions and 
less for its mouth, which benefits Portland alone." 

LATAH COUNTY 

GENESEE— Genesee News. Noveml)er 15, 1901: "Expenditures on this 
stream in the past has been of no benefit to this country as the work was 
l)orformed on the channel from the mouth of the river to Portland. This 
is wrong. Every dollar expended on the river from this time on shoidd 
he devoted to the purpose of opening it to the interior of the country. 
* * * * The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's recent editorial along these 
lines has the right ring. Give the people the water route, for it will be 
worth to them thousands, yes, millions, of dollars annually." 

MOSCOW — Star, December 6, 1901: "The present session of Congress 
can make no better use of the money expended than in opening the Col- 
umbia river to navigation from Portland to its confluence with the Snake 
river, and in appropriating the necessary funds to begin the work and con- 
tinue it until its completion. * * * Now let Congress give us the 
open river." 

NEZ PERCE COUNTY 

LEWISTON— Tfibune. November 2. 1901: "The recommendation ap- 
pears to be in line with the remarks of the Portland delegation to th<^ 
Lewiston Open-River conference, in which it was delicately ui'ged that 
paramountcy should be conceded to the Columbia river bar and channel 
and inviting the Inland Empire to join in such effort, after which the 
lower country would assist in opening the upper rivers. It appears that 
Portland has effectually succeeded with the engineering department In 
concentrating all the proposed appropriations for the Columbia river 
basin upon the immediate desires of that city, but it is proper to observe 
that the estimates of this department constitute only a small proportion 
of the amounts finally included in the river and harbor bill. The depart- 
ment's estimates do not alter the fact that the open river is still in the 
hands of the congressional committee, but merely indicate the drift 
of the fight that will have to be made to prevent the Inland Empire from 
being sacrificed to the distorted requirements of the lower river channel." 

PECK— "The Peck Press, November, 1901: "Ever>' Commercial Club. 
Board of Trade or business men's society, every farmer's organization and 
every to^^'n or hamlet in the Inland Empire should petition our representa- 
tives in Congress to work imceasingly to this end." 

SHOSHONE COUNTY 

MULLAN — Mirror, November 16, 1901: "The money which is wasted 
in a term of years in the endeavor to keep open a deep water channel 
to Portland, if expended on removing obstructions from the Columbia 
waterway to the interior, would have made that river navigable by river 
steamers from the ocean to the furtherest borders of the state of Wash- 
ington." 

WALLACE— Press, November 16. 1901: "With a short-sighted view 
of the situation Portland has so manipulated matters as to have the bulk 



of the appi'opriations made tor the lienetit of the stream below that city. 
* * * * Thus it happens that millions of dollars have been spent 
in building jetties at the mouth and in deepening the channel below Port- 
land, while above that the only work of importance has been the locks 
at the Cascades — a work almost valueless except as a part of a system 
to include the whole upper part of the river. Let the lower river rest 
awhile and put the money into improvements higher up, and it will be 
but a few years until boats will have a clear run from Astoria to above 
Lewiston on the Snake, and far up into British Columbia on the Col- 
umbia, * * * something whicli will add much more to Portland's su- 
])remacy than the imiirovomcnt of the lower liver." 



STATE OF OREGON 

BAKER COUNTY 

BAKER CITY— Herald, November 14, 1901: "Every dollar which is 
devoted to the improvement of the lower Columbia is in fact diverted from 
tlie imi)iovement of the upper river. * » * * 

■"When the river is open to free navigation there will be time enough 
to take up the work of improving the harboi's at its mouth, and of dredg- 
ing channels so that deeper vessels can ply on its lower reaches." 

BAKER CITY— Republican, November 14, 1901: "Eastern Oregon com- 
plains at times of selfishness beyond the Cascades, and justly we believe. 
There is too much oblivion of Eastern Oregon interests, and we know 
action in behalf of this region has been deferred too often for other work 
of relatively less importance. » * * » 

"We shall not seek to defeat appropriations at the mouth of the river 
when there is the urgent need now known to exist, but we shall demand 
united, hearty support of all persons in this state west of the Cascades 
in behalf of an open river." 

CLATSOP COUNTY 

ASTORIA— News, November, 1001: "Just .so long as Portland asks 
for federal money to make it stronger from a navigation standpoint, and 
fails to see to it that the upper river has proper attention, so long will 
Portland fail to accomplish what she desires." 

ASTORIA— News, November 19, 1901: "The Seattle P. I. had an 
editorial charging that Portland was really opposed to opening the Colum- 
bia above The Dalles. The Boise Statesman copied it and showed how 
I\n'tland was standing in her own light. Thereupon, President Hahn. 
of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, writes a letter denying the 
charge. The trade of the upper river was involved. In that letter he 
asserts that Portland has only two demands on C-ongress. * * * 

"This all sounds quite fair. It reads smooth. It is slick. But at the 
same time, a demand has been inserted (by Portland influences) in the re- 
port of General Wilson for $350,000 for a thirty-foot channel to Portland. 
An open upper river is, in fact, thus made contingent on being conceded. 
Talk cannot overcome such facts. 

"Besides, if the Columbia shall be open above The Dalles, the cargoes 
of wheat would never stop at Portland. A wayfaring man, though a fool, 
must see that this is true. They would float on to Astoria, the best sea- 
port in the west. That would make this the seaport of the basin. Yet. 



the Portland Chamber of Commerce refuses to discuss even the propo- 
sition that Astoria, as the seaport, would insure Portland's commercial 
supremacy. ***** 

"Let not the Boise paper nor people be deceived. * * * * 

"The secret power behind the Portland Chamber of Commerce is the 

Wheat Pool. An open river or a common point for Astoria on grain 

exports would mean the loss of their cinch on the Inland Empire farmers 

and millions of dollars. 

ASTORIA— News, November 18, 1901: "Harmony between Portland 
and Astoria, on the basis of using the harbor at the mouth of the Colum- 
bia as the principal shipping point of this basin and making it the seaport 
basis of the Pacific Northwest, is the most important matter for all the 
people of the Columbia watershed to secure. It means commercial suprem- 
acy for Portland and general prosperity in this basin.'" 

GILLIAM COUNTY 

CONDON— Globe, November U. 1901: "As a matter of fact, the city 
of Portland is about the only part of Oregon which is benefitted by lower 
improvements, under present upper river conditions." 

CONDON— Globe, November, 1901: "While the article in question 
will perhaps not set well on the Portland stomach there is much truth 
in the observations contained therein and also much food for reflection 
for the Inland Empire people which, if reflected upon a purely unbiased 
condition of mind might redound to their future advantage." 

GRANT COUNTY 

LONG CREEK— Ranger, November 15. 1901: One of the most im- 
portant subjects which shoidd claim the attention of the Pacific North- 
west delegations to Congress is the opening up of the upper Columbia 
river to river boats. * * * * The interests of the upper Columbia 
should be attended to at once, as well as the mouth of the river." 

MULTNOMAH COUNTY 

PORTLAND— Telegram, October 11, 1901: "The benefit to be derived 
from an open river is shown by the fact that since the locks at Cascades 
were completed railroad tariffs have decreased almost 50 per cent, below 
The Dalles, while above The Dalles, where there is less competition from 
water lines the rail tariffs remain almost unchanged." 

UMATILLA COUNTY 

PENDLETON— Tribune, November 14, 1901: "The Seattle Post-In- 
telligence recently printed a lengthy editorial on the opening of the Col- 
umbia river to tidewater. The purpose of the editorial is to strike a blow 
at Portland, yet it contains facts that cannot be disputed. * * * 
It would be better for the Inland Empire and Oregon, if the larger part of 
the money to be appropriated for the benefit of navigation would be spent 
in opening the upper Columbia. Portland appears to be in favor of an 
open river.* * * It is to be hoped that the importance of the under- 
taking will cause all cities and newspapers and men of political influence 
to rise above their differences, petty or great, and unite in carrying it 
to a successfut issue." 

PENDLETON— East Oregonian, November 16, 1901: "Oregon's next 
governor, must be a man who is capable of. and who desires to see 
effectual efforts to secure the proper recognition of the upper Columbia 
I'iver valley. 

"Oregon's next elected United States senator must be a man who ap- 
preciates the importance of the improvement of the upper Columbia river. 



"Oregon's congressmen must he men who want and who will strive 
for federal appropriations for the improvement of the upper Columbia 
liver. 

"This is Eastern Oregon's interest in the coming elections. This in- 
terest transcends in importance the claims of any particular political 
party. It is paramount to questions as to tariffs, paramount to the handl- 
ing of any issue of national character. 

WESTON— Leader, November 14, 1901: "Nearly a million goes to 
increase Portland's importance as a harbor, while the upper river, which 
if opened would serve an empire, is practically ignored. * » « * 

"Portland yill remain indifferent to the upper river so long as her 
own ends are served. She must be goaded into unselfish action by threat- 
ened revolt of her commercial sulijocts in Eastern Oregon." 

WASCO COUNTY 

THE DALLES— Timcs-Moimtaiyieer, October 25, 1901: ''The 
construction of such an improvefnent would mean a saving of at least 
four cents a bushel on freight rates on all of the 35,000,000 bushels of 
wheat raised in the Inland Empire, or $1,400 poo in a single year, and 
a like reduction on all oj the in and out freight oj the country, which 
would at least amount to from $400,000 to $600,000 annually, so the 
freights saved by the people in a year and a half would pay for the canal 
and. locks between 7 he Dalles and Celilo. ' ' 



STATE or WASHINGTON 



ASOTIN COUNTY 

ASOTIX — Sentinel, November 15, 1901: "When the river is opened 
to free navigation, there will be time enough to take up the work of 
improving the harbors at its mouth, and of dredging channels so that 
deei)er vessels can ply on its lower readies."' 

CHEHALIS COUNTY 

ABERDEEN— Herald, November 21, 1901: "Expenditures which 
would open the upper Columbia to steamboat navigation would bring 
an immediate return in dollars and cents to every individual who lives 
in the great plateau between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains. 
The only community which profits by the expenditures as now made 
controls the entire Oregon delegation in Congress. * * * Every dollar 
exi)ended on the Columbia river from this time on should be devoted 
to the purpose of opening it as a trade route from the grain field of east- 
ern Washington and Oregon to tide water on the Pacific." 

ABERDEEN— Daily Bulletin, November 12, 1901: "The farmers of 
eastern Washington could, if the river were imjiroved, get their wheat 
to the seaboard at the mouth of the Columbia and be greatly benefitted 
thereby. 

" The expenditures of vast sums to improve the river so deep sea 
ships may come to Portland is not of the slightest benefit to anybody 
except the people of Portland,'' 

ELMA— The Elnia Chronicle. November 16, 1901: "It seems that 
eveivthin^ should be done that can be to induce Congress to improve the 



8 

navigation of the upper Columbia river, * * * instead of confining the 
appropriations to opening the mouth of the river to deep water navigation 
as now appears to be the congressional idea." 

HOQUIAM— Gray's Harbor Gazette, November 14, 1901: "That the 
upper Columbia has been neglected in the way of national aid is patent 
to any one who knows anything about it. * * * Portland has exerted 
her influence to the detriment of the upper Columbia country in a way 
that is selfish in the extreme." 

CLARK COUNTY 

VANCOUVER— Columbian, November 14, 1901: "The Sf325,000 to be 
devoted to the improvement of the channel from the mouth of the river 
to Portland is of not the slightest benefit or advantage to a single pro- 
ducer in the entire valley of the Columbia. * * * Indeed, the prob- 
abilities are that they would receive a better price for their products if 
loaded on shipboard at the mouth ofthe Columbia rather than at Port- 
land." 

COLUMBIA COUNTY 

DAYTON— The Courier-Press, November 14, 1901: "The $325,000 to 
be devoted to the improvement of the channel from the mouth of the 
river to Portland is not of the slightest benefit or advantage to a single 
producer in the entire valley of the Columbia. It would not make the 
difference of a dollar to them, individually or collectively, if the attempt 
to keep a channel for deep water ships up the 100 miles of river to Port- 
land was definitely and finally abandoned." 

DOUGLAS COUNTY 

COULEE CITY— News. Novemlier 1.5. 1901; "Every dollar expended 
on the Columbia river from this time on should be devoted to the pur- 
pose of opening it as a trade route from the grain fields of eastern Wash- 
ington and Oregon to tide water on the Pacific. When the river is ojiened 
to free navigation there will be time enough to take up the work of im- 
proving the harbors at its mouth and dredging channels so that deeper 
vessels can ply on its lower reaches." 

WATERVILLE— Big Bend Empire, November 14. 1901: "Year after 
year appropriations are made for the opening of the Columbia river to 
navigation and instead of anything being accomplished (as stated in the 
P. I. editorial) the bulk of the appropriation is used in keeping a deep 
water channel opened to Portland. This does not in any way benefit 
the communities tributary to the river. * * * If it is intended to have 
an open river, why not expend the sum of nearly one million dollars upon 
the upper Columbia for the benefit of the producers in eastern Washing- 
Ion and let the lower part have the $90,000 appropriation?" 

GARFIELD COUNTY 

POMEROY— Independent, November 28, 1901: "A few days ..go we 
received a note and data from the Portland Chamber of Commer-e witli 
an invitation to become a member of that honorable body. The Cliamber 
seems to be in great earnestness to have the Columbia and its tril)u!ar)<s 
opened to navigation at the expense of the Government. That is a worlhx- 
spirit of enterprise and should have been foreseen long ago by Portland 
as the thing to urge Congress to order and appropriate funds to meet the 
expenses. 

"Portland should drop the question of a deeper channel to the sea 
on the lower Columbia until the obstructions are removed from tlie Ujiper 
rivers and then the whole country will imite in asking tlie proper im- 
provement of the channel on the lower river, when there will be the 



deinaiid of an immense tonnage from tliis ui)])er country to make the 
necessity for the work more convincing."' 

KING COUNTY 

KENT— White River Journal, November 16, 1901: "Upon one sub- 
ject the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Spokane Review are agreed, and 
we cordially endorse their views. They are seeking to secure a larger 
appropriation for the improvement of the upper Columbia." 

ENUMCLAW— King County Courier, November, 1901: "The con- 
stant expenditures of vast sums of money to deepen the channel at the 
mouth should be discontinued until the upper channel is clear." 

SEATTLE — Post-Intelligencer, November, igoi: '■'■The obstruc- 
tions on the tipper Columbia are not bars renewed at every period of 
freshet. All work done toward improving the upper Columbia will be 
permanent in its character. If the Columbia is ope7ied to steamboat 
navigation from the Cascades to the Idaho line, if the existing obstruc- 
tions are once removed, no coiitinuing appropriations ivill be neces- 
sary to retiew the work every year , as is the case with the lower river.'' 

SEATTLE— The Daily Bulletin, November 18, 1901: "Nearly $1,000,- 
(X)0 is to be expended in trying to improve the lower portion of tiie river. 
To the casual observer it is not very clear why the upper portion should 
be thus neglected, when it is this part of the stream which is of greater 
importance to the eastern section of the two states. Without the upper 
channel being opened to navigation it is impossible to carry the immense 
quantities of grain and produce from those sections to tidewater except 
by railway. 

"The leading papers of Seattle, Spokane and other cities interested 
in seeing the eastern part of our state secure fair play have entered a 
vigorous protest against the recommendations of the chief of engineers, and 
it is to be hoped these protests will be heard and followed by the rivers 
and harbors committee, in order that the people living in the sections 
tributary to the upper Columbia may secure the benefits of government 
cxi)enditures on improvements on the Columliia." 

SEATTLE— Post-Intelligencer, November. 1901: "The $325,000 to be 
devoted to the improvement of tlie channel from the mouth of the river 
to Portland is of not the slightest benefit or advantage to a single pro- 
ducer in the entire valley of the Columbia. It would not make the differ- 
ence of a dollar to them, individually or collectively, if the attempt to 
keep the channel for deep water ships up the 100 miles of river to Portland 
was definitely and finally abandoned. Indeed, the probabilities are that 
they would receive a better price for their products if loaded on shipboard 
at the mouth of the Columbia rather than at Portland. The farm products 
now have to pay the expenses of the long delays in getting up and down 
the narrow and tortuous channel, the heavy cost of lighterage, the tow- 
age and pilot charges, the ndditioonal insurance and the wasteful ex- 
penditure of time necessitated by sending ships to an artificial harbor, 
kept open only by the extraordinary expenditure of i)ublic money, instead 
of using the natural harbors which already exist at the mouth of the 
river. * * * * 

The present expenditures on the lower Columbia are in the interest 
of one single city, or rather in the interest of the agents of foreign grain 
buyers and foreign ship owners who make that city their temporary head- 
quarters. Expenditures which would open the upper Columbia to steam- 
boat navigation Avould bring an immediate return in dollars and cents to 



10 

every individual who lives in the great plateau between the Cascades and 
the Rocky mountains. 

KITSAP COUNTY 

PORT ORCHARD— Independent, November 15, 1901: '-Portland is 
a modest city, and is thoroughly disinterested and unselfish, when out of 
about $1,000,000 asked to appropriate for the improvement of the Columbia 
river, she asks that her congressional delegation request that only $925,- 
000 should be expended in her interest in improvements at the moutli of 
the river and along the channel between Astoria and Portland. * * •* 
And this would go on forever if Portland had her way, as she has had in 
the past. * * * Congress should be made to see the injustice of giving 
Portland its own way forever in this matter, and if the sum of $1,000,000 
is appropriated then at least one-half should be allowed for the upper 
river improvements." 

KITTITAS COUNTY 

ELLENSBURG— Localizer. Xovi-mber Ifi. 1901: "The shippers of tlu- 
vast empire contiguous to this majestic river are not interested in making 
it navigable for deep sea vessels, and money expended in the past by the 
government for that purpose is practically useless to the producer. What 
is wanted is a river open for river boats, thus affording an outlet for the 
products of the Inland Empire." 

ELLENSBURG— Dawn, November 23, 1901: "Congress should by all 
means make an appropriation to open up and clean out the Columbu. 
river so boats could iDly its waters. This would open up a very rich 
and valuable section of the state, and in a feAV years would yield to state 
and counties a sufficient amount of taxes to practically replace every dol- 
lar of the appropriation." 

LEWIS COUNTY 

WINLOCK— Pilot, November 15, 1901: "Very little expenditure is 
required to keep the river open for river steamers from Portland down 
and it would seem the part of wisdom and fairness for the Government 
to place the millions it annually expends on the lower river on the rough 
reaches of the upper river until the products of the great Inland Empire 
included in the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho could have an 
all water route to the sea. A channel for deep sea vessels from Portland 
down benefits only the city of Portland, while an open channel from 
Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington would be a Godsend to a 
country thousands of miles in area. * * * * 

'■'The people oj Western Washington and Western Oregon can well 
afford to aid the farmers east of the mountains in securing this valuable 
water route, for a large share of the lumber i?iamifactured in the west- 
ern parts of these tivo states is consumed by these same farmers, and 
whenever they are not prosperous the lumber market ivill surely be 
dull.'' 

LINCOLN COUNTY 

DAVENPORT— Tribune, November 14. 1901: "It is claimed, and 
justly so, that one city has monopolized the lion's share of all the appro- 
priations made for the improvement of the Columbia river. This is a 
wrong — a great injustice to the large popvdation which line the great river>> 
from the mouth of the Willamette to the British boundary; from Port- 
land to the Snake and Clearwater. * * * Let Washington and Idaho 
join hands in demanding their equal rights with Portland— which is Ore- 
gon — for a larger appropriation for the imiirovement of the inland rivers 



until they are navigable to the sea, regardless of the single interest of 
any city or corporation." 

WILBUR — Register, November, 15, 1901: "There is a very consider- 
able agitation concerning the opening of the upper Columbia to navigation, 
which is quite proper. We fully indorse a recent editorial in the Seattle 
P. I. on that subject and urge all interested to use their influence in that 
behalf." 

OKANOGAN COUNTY 

LOOMIS— Palmer Mountain Prospector, November 22, 1901: "There 
is just now a concentrated movement on foot throughout the northwest 
to bring before the next session of congress the vital importance of liberal 
appropriations toward improvements on the Columbia river with the aim 
of opening up that magnificent stretch of inland waters to steamboat navi- 
gation. * * * With an open river to the sea the farmer would not be 
dependent and the savings in freights would mean hundreds of thousands 
of dollars annually to that important industry of the state. The improve- 
ments necessary to open the Columbia river would not be temporary make- 
shifts, but would be permanent for all time, without constant expense to 
the government." 

PIERCE COUNTY 

BUCKLEY — Banner. November 15, 1901: "The above editorial from 
the Post-Intelligencer is truthfully a matter of great importance to the 
entire part of the state of Wa.shington bordering on or tributary to the 
Columbia. And as it flows the entire way across this grand state, it cer- 
tainly would be receiving its share of improvement to make it the source 
of commercial wealth to every body requiring its use. Everyone will Avish 
to .see a better utilization of that grand stream." 

TA COMA— News, November 12, 1901: "The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 
has voiced a serious and convincing protest against the proposed ap- 
portionment of funds Congress will be asked to ajipropriate for the im- 
provement of the Columbia river. * » » * 

" There is much to be said in favor oj the improvements from Port- 
latid to the sea. but the value of these iinprovenients to the Pacific North 
west, as a whole, and to the producers upon whose efforts the commercial 
prosperity of all the coast cities largely depends is not to be compared 
with the necessity and importance of the zuork of improving the upper 
Columbia and making it a great inland waterway. * * * * 

"This would be of untold advantage to the producers of Eastern 
Wasliington and Oregon and Idaho. * * * Portland holds a peculiar 
position as an obstructionist. She does not want improvements made 
which will benefit the producers of the Inland Empire, and which will 
give Astoria a chance to compete with her. In order to maintain her 
factitious position as a seaport hundreds of thousands of dollars must 
be spent to keep the channel open for ships of ocean draught from Port- 
land to Astoria. A work of greater importance is the improvement of 
the upper Columbia. Congress should memorialize to make this im- 
provement first, and to make it thorough and complete When done 
Portland may advocate unlimited improvements to the lower Columbi.i 
without jeopardizing the common interests of the people of the whole 
Pacific Northwest." 

TACOMA— New Herald, November 16, 1901: "One community would 
profit by the expenditure if made according to the present estimates. 
* * * This waste must be stojjped and from this time on every dollar 
expended on the Columbia should be applied to opening it as a trade route 



12 

from the grain fields of Eastern Washington and Oregon to tide water 
on the Pacific." 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY 

EVERETT, Record, November 20, 1901: "Eastern Washington and 
Oregon ask that the great work on the mouth of the Columbia river be 
dropi)ed until the canal around the obstructions at the Cascades be com- 
pleted. For this work but $90,000 is appropriated, while there is nearly 
$1,000,000 for the harbor work. 

"The $325,000 to be devoted to the improvement of the channel from 
the mouth of the river to Portland is of not the slightest benefit or ad- 
vantage to a single producer in the entire valley of the Columbia." 

SPOKANE COUNTY 

CHENEY— Sentinel, November 15, 1901; "The $325,000 to be devoted 
to the improvement of the channel from the mouth of the river to Port- 
land is not of the slightest benefit or advantage to a single producer in the 
entire valley of the Columbia." 

CHENEY— Free Press, November 15, 1901: "In a late issue of the 
Seattle P. I. was published an important editorial on the subject of expend- 
itures for the Columbia river. Instead of working for immense appropria- 
tions for improving the lower Columbia, which would be of benefit to Port- 
land alone, the P. I. contends that our delegations to congress should advo- 
cate the opening to navigation of the upper Columbia which would be ot 
benefit to all the northern and eastern portions of Washington." 

ROCKFORD— Register, November 15, 1901: "More liberal appropria- 
tions for the improvement of the upper Columbia and Snake rivers should 
win out. An open waterway down Snake river to tidewater would he 
thoroughly satisfactory and profitable to the farmers of this i>ortion of tlie 
state. Congress should make an appropriation for this work, by all means, 
at its next sesion." 

SPOKANE— New West Trade, November 16, 1901: "With the a]v 
proach of the next session of Congress interest is being rekindled in the 
situation for liberal appropriations for the improvement and opening of 
the upper Columbia and Snake rivers to navigation, and the sentiment in 
favor of these demands seems stronger this fall than ever before." 

SPOKANE— Spokesman-Review, November 12, 1901: "Every dollar 
expended on the Columbia river from this time on should be devoted to 
the purpose of opening it as a trade route from the grain fields of eas-t- 
ern Washington and Oregon to tidewater on the Pacific. * * * There 
is a force of reason in this. The Oregon delegation is under the con- 
trol of Portland and Willamette valley, and Portland is determined to 
have a deeper channel to the sea. Portland would approve improvements 
of the upper rivers, provided Congress would also give it all it wants for 
the lower river." 

SPOKANE— Washington Post (German), November 15, 1901: "The 
largest appropriations were made at the time when Oregon was fully 
represented in both houses of Congress, while Washington, as a territory 
had only one representative. Consequently millions were appropriated 
in favor of Oregon, especially Portland. 

"Today the conditions are different from those of twelve or fifteen 
years ago. The state of Washington has this week reached its 12th anni 
versary. It has surpassed Oregon in population and general wealth, and 
in the next ten years will have a larger representation in Congress than 
its older neighbor state. Idaho has become a promising young state. It 
would be well for AVashington's and Idaho's members of Congress to unite 



13 

on a plan which has the systematic improvement of the Columltia in 
view. * * * The plan should advocate the improvements of the upper 
Columbia to the mouth of the Okanogan as well as the improvements of 
the Snake river to Lewiston, or beyond. » * * if anything is to be 
done for the general welfare of the inhabitants of the country drained by 
the Columbia, it must be above all, the improvements of the upper and 
middle Columbia as well as the Snake river. * « * * 

"Xo sacrifice would be too great, as the blessings it would bring to 
the whole population would be of immeasurable value." 

YAKIMA COUNTY 

PROSSER— Record, Xovenilier l."i. 1901: "With the judicious expendi- 
ture of money, both branches would become an important factor in the 
development of the Inland Empire. In its meandering through the Big 
Bend country thousands of tons of freight would be produced to be trans- 
l)07ted to the sea, if the barriers were removed. What is true of the 
Big liend is equally true of the Snake river and Lewiston country. Let 
our members of Congress see that this great nature's means of transpor 
tation be opened up. The time has arrived, the present is in need of it, 
and the future development of this vast empire demands it." 

XORTH YAKIMA-Herald, December 3. 1901: "If Congress would 
expend the great amount of money on the upper Columbia that it has 
exjjended on that portion of it from Portland to the sea, far greater re- 
turns would accure to the people of the Inland Empire than do now under 
tlio present system. Remove the dalles, open the Columbia and give the 
jjcople of its great central liasin an op]ioitunity to send their cro])s to the 
sea." 

WHATCOM COUNTY 

WHATCOM— Reveille, November 13. 1901: "In demanding for itself 
the total appropriations Portland does deny the producers of the upper 
Columbia the very thing needed to make that whole country quicken 
with commercial life and industrial activity. 

"To develop the upper Columbia might build a considerable city at 
the mouth of the river, but it would also add to Portland's population 
and wealth. That city has already a commercial supremacy that she can 
maintain. The building up of other points will not hurt Portland, no 
more than does the present industrial activity on Bellingham bay injure 
Seattle. 

"If Portland chooses to demand that all appropriations be used be- 
tween that city and the sea, she chooses to stand in her o\\ti light. The 
demands of that great area of country rendered accessible by a navigable 
river from the mouth of the Columbia to the Kootenays cannot long be 
ignored. The development of trade there and a world-wide recognition 
of the resources of the Inland Empire are factors that will accomplish 
that which has heretofore been almost entirely ignored by our nation:d 
Congress." 

WALLA WALLA COUNTY 

WAITSBURG— Gazette, November 14. 1001: "Every dollar expended 
on the Columbia river hom this time on should be devoted to the purjiosc 
of oi)ening it as a trade route from the grain fields of Eastern Washing- 
ton anil Oregon to tidewater on tlic Pacific. When the river is opened to 
fiee navigation, there will be time enough to take up the work of im- 
proving the harbors at its mouth and of dredging channels so that decer 
vessels can ply on its lower reaches." 

WALLA WALLA— Evening Statesman, November 12, 1901: "In 
making up the rivers and harbors bill, as is well known, no waterway can 



14 

be expected to receive more than a certain portion of the whole appropria- 
tion to be expended. Thus every dollar which is devoted i,o the improve- 
ment of the lower Columbia is in fact diverted from the improvement 
of the upper river. The money which is wasted in a term of years in 
the endeavor to keep open a deep water channel to Portland if expended 
on removing obstructions from the Columbia waterway to ihe interior 
would have made that river navigable by river steamei's from the ocean 
to the fartherest borders of the .State of Washington. The present ex- 
penditures on the lower Columbia are in the interests of one .-iiagle city, 
or rather in the interests of the agents of foreign ship owners who make 
that city their temporary headquarters. Expenditures which would open 
the upper Columbia to steamboat navigation would bring an immediate 
return in dollars and cents to evei-y individual who lives m the great 
plateau between the Cascades and the Rocky mountains." 

WHITMAN COUNTY 

PALOUSE— Republic, November 22, 1901: "The opcuing ot the Col- 
umbia river from The Dalles up to the British line would do more for 
the Inland Empire than any other one thing. Many thousands .'f dollars 
have been expended on the lower part of the river, principally with tlie 
view of making Portland a great seaport town. This has in no way bene- 
fitted the masses of the people. It has simply given Portland what be- 
longed to the great commonwealth of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. 
Let our representatives in Congress see to it that ever>' pcssiWe means 
is used to secure an ample appi'opriation for the opening of this great 
waterway which would means millions of dollars to their constituents." 

COLFAX— Commoner. November 22, 1901: "Heretofore Miost <A the 
money appropriated for the improvement of the river lias been spent 
in deepening the channel to the city of Portland. Thi.?, of course, is a 
benefit to the people of that city. But a much greater benefit to a vastly 
greater number of people would result from expending the appropriation 
in opening the river to navigation. * * * if Congress really ti.cls the 
love for the farmers it will heed the prayer of the people of the Inland 
Empire for an outlet to the sea." 



^ 



APPENDIX. 



KEEP UP THE FIGHT. 

SEATTLE— Post-Intelligencer, December 5, 1901: "The hearty and 
unanimous manner in which all of the newspapers of Eastern Washington, 
Oregon and Idaho have indorsed the demand of the Post-Intelligencer 
that all moneys to be appropriated for the Columbia river should be 
devoted to opening that river to steamboat navigation have frightened 
the selfish interests in Portland which have heretofore, by subterranean 
methods, successfully defeated appropriations for that purpose. The busi- 
ness men of Portland, already threatened with the loss of trade in the 
country lying eastward of the Cascades, have sufficient sagacity to pre- 
ceive that the spirit aroused by the selfishness and grasping of the Oregon 
city is dangerous to tamper with. The Portland Chamber of Commerce 
has thus been forced to take formal action, indorsing the scheme for the 
improvement of the upper Columbia, and through fear of loss of trade, 
if for no other reason, will not openly seek to divert all of the government 
money appropriated for the river to the hopeless attempt to make a sea- 
I)ort out of an inland town. 

"The only manner, however, in which it can be assured that this pro- 
vision will be made is by persistently working for it. There is no longer 
any open opposition to the measure to be feared. Every member of Con- 
gress from Oregon will at least give it perfunctory support. The point 
to be remembered and emphasized is that in no event will the total 
amount to be appropriated for the improvement of the whole Columbia 
river exceed a certain fixed sum. Every dollar which is devoted to the 
lower river is so much to be subtracted from that which the upper river 
will receive. The upper river has received little. All moneys expended 
ujion it will result in permanent improvement of conditions. 

"Tlie demand should be made, with hearty unanimity, by all of the 
I)('()]ilc of Washington, of Idaho and of Eastern Oregon that every dollar 
wliich Congress can be induced to appropriate for the Columbia river 
shall be devoted to opening that river to steamboat navigation fi'om its 
mouth to the head of possible navigation. This work, once completed, 
will never have to be done again." 



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